Similar to asking a flight attendant for a glass of alcohol, purchasing cannabis can be awkward when you don't know how to ask for the right amount for your purposes. If you've managed to reach adulthood unscathed by social anxiety, feel free to skip this article and make your way to a licensed dispensary where a budtender can walk you through the rest.
If not, know that an eighth of weed is the most common amount consumers purchase. Why? Cannabis brands, dispensaries, and delivery services all measure dried flower in grams and ounces. An eighth is simply shorthand for an eighth of an ounce, or 3.5 grams, of weed.
Find an eighth in an eighth of the time it takes to read this article.
What is a gram and how much is it exactly?
A gram, sometimes colloquially referred to as a dime bag or dub, is the smallest measurement of dried flower. How much weed you need depends entirely on how much weed you plan on consuming per day, but for rolling one sizable joint, one gram is plenty.
Depending on the density of the nugs, a gram of weed can range in size from a walnut to a kumquat. So, if someone tries to sell you a gram of weed the size of a tiny organic blueberry, ask them to pull out a scale and weigh it again.
How much is an eighth in comparison to a gram?
Go to any dispensary and you'll see rows and rows of jars of weed with an eighth in them. But how much is an eighth, exactly? As mentioned above, the term eighth refers to an eighth of an ounce or 3.5 grams. Those savvy with measurements (and Google) know that one-eighth of an ounce is actually 3.543603875 grams.
In more practical terms, an eighth of weed can provide you with three full-gram joints and one half-gram joint or seven smaller, half-gram joints. With an eighth of weed, you'll be able to roll two to three blunts or a handful of spliffs. You can make a potent batch of cannabutter or pack at least half a dozen bowls. The weed math possibilities are practically endless.
Whether you're shopping in Los Angeles, downtown Denver, or the wilds of Maine the average price of an eighth of weed can range anywhere from $30 to $70. To find the most cost-effective weed for your needs, compare dispensary menus and shop around. Or, since you're already here at Weedmaps, you can simply browse our sales page to find deals in your area.
Related: How to use Weedmaps
On the topic of deals, have you ever seen or heard the term 5-gram eighth and wondered how dispensaries get away with rewriting the metric system? The good news is they're not trying to gaslight you. They're simply trying to give you extra weed. Five-gram eighths describe the price point for the amount of cannabis. For instance, a customer who selects a 5-gram eighth will receive 5 grams of cannabis for the price of that strain's eighth. Any eighth that's more than 3.5 grams is basically bonus weed.
Fun fact: eighths are also known as a half-quarter or a slice. The more you know.
Retail weights
OK, so an eighth of weed is the most standard weight cannabis consumers can expect to come across. But step behind the counter and you may find yourself dealing with much larger amounts of weed and a whole new set of terms.
Quarter
A quarter of weed — aka a quarter of an ounce of weed — clocks in at 7 grams. To put that into perspective, a quarter-ounce of marijuana is enough for five to seven blunts and an arsenal of joints. Double that and you get a half-ounce, or 14 grams. This quantity is also referred to as a half or half O. With a half-ounce, you can roll seven to 14 blunts or enough joints to make you dizzy.
Ounce
An ounce weighs in at 28 grams. That's four quarters or eight eighths, hence the descriptors quarter and eighth. Colloquially, you may hear some refer to an ounce as a zip or an O. You'll also see ounces show up in legislation describing possession limits — aka how much weed you can possess at one time or purchase per month in a given state.
Quarter-pound
No, we're not talking burgers. A quarter-pound of weed is 113.4 grams. With 16 ounces in a pound, you can also think of a quarter-pound as four ounces. (Are you impressed with our math skills, yet?) And because stoners have a slang term for everything, quarter-pounds are often called QP for short.
Half-pound
The clue is certainly in the name with this weed weight. The next step up from the quarter-pound, a half-pound weighs in at 226.8 grams. A half-pound, or eight ounces of cannabis, is also known casually as a half-pack or half-pounder.
Pound
The rarest and most coveted weed weight of them all, one pound is equivalent to roughly 453 grams or 16 ounces. That's enough weed to satisfy the typical cannabis consumer for a year — and put a serious dent in their bank account. A pound of cannabis flower can cost as much as $3,000 and can be called a pack or an elbow.
How to order like a local
Grams may be the universal weed measurement, but how you refer to different cannabis weights may change based on your location. Unsurprisingly, countries all over the world use different slang terms to refer to marijuana as well. So, if you want to shop like a local, it's best to talk like one, too.
Depending on the age of the consumer, North Americans refer to cannabis as flower, weed, pot, reefer, marijuana, Mary Jane, and a host of other words — not to mention strain names. Australians use slang terms like hooch and choof, while cannabis enthusiasts in Jamaica say dagga. And while you're doing some research on ordering like a local in your vacation destination, be sure to check up on the laws and regulations before you go.
FAQ
How many bowls can I get with 1 gram?
How many bowls you can get from a gram of cannabis depends more on the size of the bowl you're smoking out of than the weed itself. On average, one gram of cannabis will pack two to three average-size bowls. If you figure out how to stretch 1 gram beyond three bowls, please let us know how you did it.
How many grams is the average bowl?
Again, glass bowls vary widely in size, but the average bowl holds 0.3 to 0.5 grams of cannabis.
How many bowls are in an eighth of weed?
Simple math shows you can get seven half-gram bowls out of an eighth of cannabis. The smaller the bowl, the more bowls you'll get out of an eighth of weed.
How many bowls are in an ounce?
An ounce is roughly 28 grams, which means you'll get 56 half-gram bowls out of an ounce of weed. And that's if you pack those bowls to the brim.
How many hits are in a bowl?
How many hits you can expect to get out of a fresh bowl depends entirely on the size of the hit you take. Everyone inhales differently, so a bowl can last anywhere from three to eight hits depending on the size of the bowl and how much you and/or those in your sesh inhale.
What's a 10 sack?
A 10 sack refers to a bag of weed that costs $10. It usually amounts to about a bowl's worth of weed or enough for one joint.
How much is a dub?
Dub is a term that refers to a 20 sack of weed. On the unlicensed market, a dub costs $20 and usually contains between 1 and 2 grams of weed, sometimes more depending on where you get it. We recommend you shop from licensed retailers for better deals and better weed.
What is the usual amount for a 25 sack?
A 25 sack on the unlicensed market could contain 2.5 to 3.5 grams, or roughly an eighth of weed. But again, we recommend shopping from licensed retailers to know for sure what you're getting for your money.
How long does a quarter ounce typically last?
How long a quarter ounce of cannabis will last depends largely on the frequency and method of consumption you choose. A quarter ounce of weed, also known as a quarter, is 7 grams. That could mean one large joint per day for a week, enough cannabutter to see you through the month, or just enough weed to get you through the workday depending on your tolerance and job description.
How do people around the world weigh weed?
Every country except Myanmar, Liberia, and the United States has adopted the metric system, more formally known as the International System of Units. Despite some countries being reluctant to get with the program, cannabis is typically measured in grams no matter where you go.
